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Glad you like the concept. I was doing a little digging on GIS. If you include the DC owned trash transfer station to the North of PEPCO facility, the whole thing is approximately 88 acres, with the PEPCO facility on a single very large lot of about 80 acres. So even though it's controlled a heavyweight property owner, you'd only be dealing with them, not trying to assemble parcels. There are three electrical substations on the property, though I don't know if they are as critical to power distribution with the plant shuttered. PEPCO also seems to use the site for general operations (truck maintenance, storage yard, etc). There is a rail spur that goes directly to the site, no doubt for coal delivery, but also useful if you were to build a large steel stadium structure.

In addition to the existing orange & blue lines abutting the site at an above ground track, the future streetcar lines for Benning and for Minnesota are very close to the site. By 2020, this location will be exceedingly accessible by transit, car and bike trail.

You can see the side walls of the powerplant using Google Streetview from Anacostia Ave NE. It would be cool if they could be re-used in similar fashion to Camden Yards, even if only the west wall was kept.

The surrounding area is much more in need of economic revitalization than Hill East. Benning Rd adjacent to this property has a lot of forlorn looking businesses like taxi dispatchers and defunct night clubs, and Minnesota is constantly struggling to bring in higher value retail. Need I mention that this location is also in Ward 7...

by Will on Feb 16, 2012 4:23 pm • link • report